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understand the Nature of Eclipfes; and this is the utmost Progress of their Aftronomy.

In Poetry, they must be allowed to excel all other Mortals; wherein the Juftnefs of their Similies, and the Minutenefs, as well as Exactness of their Descriptions, are, indeed, inimitable. Their Verfes abound very much in both of these; and ufually contain either fome exalted Notions of Friendfhip and Benevolence, or the Praises of those who were Victors in Races, and other bodily Exercises. Their Buildings, although very rude and fimple, are not inconvenient, but well contrived to defend them from all Injuries of Cold and Heat. They have a Kind of Tree, which, at forty Years old, loofens in the Root, and falls with the firft Storm; it grows very ftrait, and being pointed like Stakes, with a fharp Stone (for the Houyhnhnms know not the Ufe of Iron) they ftick them erect in the Ground about ten Inches afunder, and then weave in Oat-ftraw, or fometimes Wattles, betwixt them. The Roof is made after the fame Manner, and fo are the Doors.

The Houyhnhnms ufe the hollow Part, between the Paftern and the Hoof, of their Forefeet, as we do our Hands, and this with greater Dexterity, than I could at firft imagine. I have seen a white Mare of our Family thread a Needle (which I lent her on Purpose) with that Joint. They milk their Cows, reap their Oats, and do all the Work which requires Hands in the fame Manner. They have a Kind of hard Flints, which, by grinding against other Stones, they form into Inftruments, that ferve instead of Wedges, Axes, and Hammers. With Tools made of thefe Flints, they likewife cut their Hay, and reap their Oats, which there grow naturally in feveral

feveral Fields: The Taboos draw Home the Sheaves in Carriages, and the Servants tread them in certain covered Hutts, to get out the Grain, which is kept in Stores. They make a rude Kind of earthen' and wooden Veffels, and bake the former in the Sun.

If they can avoid Cafualties, they die only of Old-Age, and are buried in the obfcureft Places that can be found, their Friends and Relations expreffing neither Joy nor Grief at their Departure; nor does the dying Perfon difcover the leaft Regret that he is leaving the World, any more than if he were upon returning Home from a Vifit to one of his Neighbours. I remember, my Mafter having once made an Appointment with a Friend. and his Family to come to his House upon fome Affair of Importance, on the Day fixed, the Miftrefs, and her two Children, came very late; fhe made two Excufes, firft for her Husband, who, as the faid, happened that very Morning to Lhnuwnb. The Word is ftrongly expreffive in their Language, but not eafily rendered into Engifb; it fignifies, to retire to his firft Mother. Her Excufe, for not coming fooner, was, that her Hufband dying late in the Morning, fhe was a good while confulting her Servants about a convenient Place where his Body fhould be laid; and, I obferved, he behaved herself at our Houfe, as chearfully as the reft: She died about three Months after.

They live generally to feventy, or feventy-five Years, very feldom to fourfcore: Some Weeks before their Death, they feel a gradual Decay; but without Pain. During this Time, they are much vifited by their Friends, because they cannot go abroad, with their ufual Eafe and SatisY

faction,

faction. However, about ten Days before their Death, which they feldom fail in computing, they return the Vifits that have been made them, by those who are nearest in the Neighbourhood; being carried in a convenient Sledge, drawn by Yaboos; which Vehicle they use, not only upon this Occafion, but when they grow old, upon long Journies, or when they are lamed by any Accident. And, therefore, when the dying Houyhnhnms return those Vifits, they take a folemn Leave of their Friends, as if they were going to fome remote Part of the Country, where they defigned to pass the rest of their Lives.

I know not whether it may be worth obferving, that the Houyhnhnms have no Word in their Language, to express any Thing that is Evil, except what they borrow from the Deformities, or ill Qualities of the Yahoos. Thus they denote the Folly of a Servant, an Omiffion of a Child, a Stone that cuts their Feet, a Continuance of foul or unfeasonable Weather, and the like, by adding to each the Epithet of Taboo. For Inftance, Hhum Yahoo, Whnabolm Yahoo, Ynlhmndwiblma Yahoo, and an ill contrived House, Ynholmbnmroblnw Yahoo.

I could with great Pleafure enlarge farther upon the Manners and Virtues of this excellent People; but, intending in a fhort Time to publish a Volume by itself exprefly upon that Subject, I refer the Reader thither. And, in the mean Time, proceed to relate my own faid Catastrophe.

CHAP.

CHAP. X.

The Author's Oeconomy, and happy Life, among the Houyhnhnms. His great Improvement in Virtue, by converfing with them. Their Converfations The Author has Notice given him by his Mafter, that he must depart from the Country. He falls into a Swoon for Grief; but fubmits. He contrives and finishes a Canoo, by the Help of a Fellow-fervant, and puts to Sea at a Venture.

I HAD fettled my little Oeconomy to my own Heart's Content. My Mafter had ordered a Room to be made for me after their Manner, about fix Yards from the Houfe; the Sides and Floors of which I plaiftered with Clay, and covered with Rufh-matts of my own contriving; I had beaten Hemp, which there grows wild, and made of it a Sort of Ticking: This I filled with the Feathers of leveral Birds I had taken with Springes made of Yahoos Hairs, and were excellent Food. I had worked two Chairs with my Knife, the Sorrel Nag helping me in the groffer and more laborious Part. When my Cloaths were worn to Rags, I made myfelf others with the Skins of Rabbets, and of a certain beautiful Animal about the fame Size, called Nnuhnoh, the Skin of which is covered with a fine Down. Of these I alfo made very tolerable Stockings. I foaled my Shoes with Wood which I cut from a Tree, and fitted to the upper Leather; and, when this was worn out, I fupplied it with the Skins of Yahoos, dried in the Sun. I often got Honey out of hollow Y 2 Trees,

'Trees, which I mingled with Water, or eat with my Bread. No Man could more verify the Truth of these two Maxims, That Nature is very eafily fatisfied; and, That Neceffity is the Mother of Invention. I enjoyed perfect Health of Body, and Tranquility of Mind; I did not feel the Treachery or Inconftancy of a Friend, nor the Injuries of a fecret or open Enemy. I had no Occafion of bribing, flattering, or pimping, to procure the Favour of any great Man, or of his Minion. I wanted no Fence againft Fraud or Oppreffion; here was neither Phyfician to deftroy my Body, nor Lawyer to ruin my Fortune; no Informer to watch my Words, and Actions, or forge Accafations against me for Hire: Here were no Gibers, Cenfurers, Backbiters, Pick-pockets, Highwaymen, Houfe-breakers, Attornies, Bawds, Buffoons, Gamefters, Politicians, Wits, Splenatics, tedious Talkers, Controvertists, Ravifhers, Murderers, Robbers, Virtuofo's; no Leaders or Followers of Party and Faction; no Encouragers to Vice, by Seducement or Examples; no Dungeon, Axes, Gibbets, Whipping-pofts, or Pillories; no cheating Shopkeepers or Mechanics; no Pride, Vanity or Affectation; no Fops, Bullies, Drunkards, ftrolling Whores, or Poxes; no ranting, lewd, expenfive Wives; no ftupid, proud Pedants; no importunate, over-bearing, quarrelfome, noify, roaring, empty, conceited, fwearing Companions: No Scoundrels, raifed from the Duft, for the Sake of their Vices, or Nobility thrown into it, on Account of their Virtues; no Lords, Fidlers, Judges, or Dancing-mafters.

I had the Favour of being admitted to feveral Houyhnhnms, who came to vifit or dine with my Matter; where his Honour graciously suffered me

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